New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-04
ANOTHER TAMMANY BAIT.
DETERMINED TO oUr.GEoRGE GEORGE.

BOURKE COCHRAN PLEADING ELoQUESTI.Y FOR A
CORPORATION TAX.
ALBANY, March (Speciat. The Tammany Hall Demo-
Gratis posed poor mans friend before the Assembly
Committee Ways aud Means and the Senate Commit
tee on Taxation this afternoon Several Of the leaders
Con gressman W. Bourke Cochran, ex-senator George II.
Forster Fro Commissioner Dick" Croker and
Police Justice McQuade-made speeches in favor
OF measure entitled act TO
regulate and tax corporations enjoying franchises on
privileges conferred by law" The bill compes every
railroad telegraph, telephone. electric light and gas
company surrender to the State every dollar that
earns above per cent profit the amount OF cash
actually invested by company This act would squeeze
the water" out OF the corporations capital with
vengeance. For instance, Bourke Cochran mentioned
that the elevated railroad companies OF NewYork were
paying interest pretended investmento $60,O0OOoO
while those roads had actually only cost $3OOOO,OOo
From the logic OF Mr. Cockrans speech would infer
that this Tammany statesman would permit OF the ee-
waited railroad companies retaining possession Of only 10
per profit $50, 100000 and would compel them
surrender all above that to the State Mr. Cochran was
that tho workingman was profoundly dissatisfied
with his position and that it the Legislatures duty
to allay this discomfort.
"You saw" he said to the committee, 10000 men
cast their votes for Henry George last fall In support of
platform that doubt few OF these voters upheld. Why
did they support Georgel 1t was because they were
groanlng burdens inflicted by the States neglect
to protect them. You cannot subdue such discomfort
with police and bayonets With onethrd OF your voters
Disconnected your present Government cannot last un-
less you redress their grievances This discomfort is
right. legislation has created enormous corpora
tons and enormously rich You have given some
great power TO opIress and rob their ieow-crea
ures That has happened in the worlds history
without such men robbing their fellow-creaures The
railway companies made hundreds rlch and yet
they would not pay the street car conductors
and drivers fair wages. They went into the
market barganed with starvation and necessity and
obtained the they desired Only lately have they
done justice by their men In some slight measure IL
you pass this bill you will put an end to all this oppres
sion. The companies am sure could AFFORD 20 employ
for nine hours only at their present rate OF wages.
and this would make roo, room for 1000 more more
problem 1t has been common hnTGo,t, % are
started for fun. That true They do not risk the
prosperity of their families for such patry reason II
on New-York will he ruined Let foreign shippers under
stand unsafe send ships here because they may
10 other ports Why should Jacob Sharp got monopoly
worth $loOO0000i Is there no protection Tor the peo-
Mr. Forster said: I'VE have in New York number OF
corporations that have put untold Mullins IN their treas
The two most conspicuous examples are the elevated
railways and the Broadway Railway Inc eeyaed Ioads
cent for while the incoporgtors put the stock in their
pockets and PAD M na Gc ~ e per oek was taken
openly boldly and without disguise. Not the slightest
matter of public scandal that every Legislature the
country has halls haunted by trained lobbyists bent
upon extending the franchises OF corporations IN pur
chasing new or hanging on 10 those they have .
Mr. Forster continued the end OF bis speech In the
same strain and argued that the railroad and telegraph
companies could afford 20 give cheaper service II e DilI
was passed All In all the speeches viii greatly delight
the Sociaisic ring OF the Labor party
The Assembly Committee on Cities listened 10 speeches
to-day from William L. Gersh and r - Van Week; o.
the Maritime Exchange representing the shipping inter-
ests Of New York. and Robert c. Martin, OF the BnIhg
and Materials Exchange in opposition 10 the bill which
permits the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to &c
cupy exclusively the pier az the foot OF Doverst Inc
SPEAKERS ned that they had only few piers upon
which they could land $4,000 600 brick 4OOOOO0 tons
Of coal am great quantities Of lumber every year ana
therefore protested against losing OF the piers A. d.
Boarlman, OF the Baltimore aud Ono Hallway company
said That would refer the dispute 10 Mayor Hewitt Oh
| NeW-IOrk, Tor settlement.